About Me

Manu Sharma New Delhi / Gurgaon, India

Since mid 2006 I have grappled with climate change and what it means for us. As an activist and campaigner, I sought to learn and simultaneously, attempted to influence the issues surrounding it - in technology and policy advocacy. As a consultant, I studied markets and created portfolios in sustainability services and renewable energy investment.

After thousands of hours of research, tenacious activism, working up-close with NGOs as well as the industry, delivering about two dozen public talks, countless conferences, hundreds of online discussions, a few media appearances (including Reuters, News Television, and BBC radio), and continuous evolution of my own ideas about what ought to be done - I may have found some answers but the issue remains far from being addressed.

In the despair filled world of climate change the only place I've found real and lasting hope is in a beautiful vision inspired by "The Ringing Cedars of Russia" book series by Vladimir Megre. The books have triggered a transition movement in Russia and have profoundly influenced me. I am now working towards the vision.

Climate Revolution Initiative, an RTI campaign I founded and ran for a few years is now retired. I no longer deliver talks. I still consider myself an activist though and occasionally post on Green-India group started over nine years ago.

Older entries in this blog relate to my former occupation in user experience design; long time interest in business innovation, strategy, ethics; and venture creation.

Image on top of this bar is courtesy book covers of The Ringing Cedars series published under Croatian translation. (Source)

February 20, 2005

The India You Never Knew?

The latest issue of New Scientist features a special report on India's rapid rise towards becoming a knowledge superpower, arguing that it is India's intellectual capital that's behind the rise and not its 'cheap labour.' It's an India story that's largely been ignored by mainstream US media. The special issue features stories from India's advances in space programme, in nuclear physics, genetics, pharmaceuticals, mobile phone network distribution and also about expatriate entrepreneurs returning to India, internet connected villagers and innovations in astrophysics.

Much of the recent gains have roots in India's heavy investment in education during Nehru led (socialist flavored) India of the 50s and 60s. The real push however came in early 90s when cash strapped India decided to go the market economy way. In the budget speech to Indian parliament that outlined the economic reforms, India's finance minister famously quoted Victor Hugo -- "No power on earth can stop an idea whose time has come".

The Indian economy hasn't looked back ever since. Washington Times recently called India the fourth largest economy in the world and CIA predicts it to be a competitor to the US by 2020. The prediction may well be on its way to realization if Indian leadership is any indication. The finance minister of early 90s, a noted economist and father of Indian economic reforms -- Dr. Manmohan Singh, is now India's Prime Minister. We also have a visionary President who has authored several books and worked as a rocket scientist before his current job.

The excerpt below is from NewScientist.com (my emphasis).

India: The next knowledge superpower

There's a revolution afoot in India. Unlike any other developing nation, India is using brainpower rather than cheap physical labour or natural resources to leapfrog into the league of technologically advanced nations. Every high tech company, from Intel to Google, is coming to India to find innovators. Leading the charge is Infosys, the country's first billion-dollar IT company.

But the revolution is not confined to IT. Crop scientists are passionately pursuing GM crops to help feed India's poor. Some intrepid molecular biologists are pioneering stem-cell cures for blindness, while others have beaten the odds to produce vaccines for pennies.

And the country is getting wired up as never before. Mobile phone networks have nearly blanketed the country and the internet is even reaching remote villages.

However, there are dramatic problems of poverty and infrastructure. To transform the nation, Indians will have to change their way of thinking about science and technology, take risks in research, and deal with the issues of education, infrastructure, bureaucracy and corruption.